by Marina Edelman, LMFT | May 7, 2025 | anxiety
Understanding Health Anxiety
Overcome Health Anxiety with Expert Guidance
Explore effective strategies to manage your health anxiety and regain control over your life with support group with expert guidance.
Evidence-based techniques specifically designed for health anxiety that have helped others break free from the cycle of worry
Structured progression through proven methods over 8 weeks to build skills incrementally
Community of understanding with others who truly grasp what you’re experiencing
Safe space to share fears without judgment or dismissal
Practical tools to identify and challenge catastrophic thoughts about symptoms
Concrete strategies to reduce checking behaviors and medical reassurance seeking
Weekly accountability and support to implement changes between sessions
Resources you can reference after the program ends
Common Health Anxiety Challenges
Health anxiety can manifest in various ways, affecting your daily life and well-being.
Constantly seeking medical reassurance for minor symptoms.
Regularly monitoring your body for signs of illness.
Steering clear of medical news or discussions due to fear.
Effective Coping Strategies
Manage Your Health Anxiety Effectively
Developing a structured approach to managing health anxiety can significantly improve your quality of life. Begin by acknowledging your anxiety and understanding its triggers. Engage in mindfulness practices to stay grounded in the present moment, and consider cognitive-behavioral therapy to reframe negative thoughts. Regular exercise and a balanced diet can also support mental well-being. Finally, seek professional help when needed to guide you through personalized strategies and support.
Cognitive Restructuring (CBT Technique)
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What it is: Identifying and challenging irrational or catastrophic health-related thoughts.
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How to do it: Ask yourself:
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“What’s the evidence for and against this thought?”
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“Am I jumping to conclusions?”
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“What would I say to a friend who had this worry?”
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Why it works: It helps break the cycle of worry and gives your brain more realistic alternative
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
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What it is: Gradually facing health-related fears without performing checking or reassurance behaviors.
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How to do it:
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Why it works: It retrains the brain to tolerate uncertainty and reduces the power of anxiety over time.
Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques
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What it is: Training your attention to stay in the present moment without judgment.
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How to do it:
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Why it works: It shifts focus from imagined future illness to current reality, lowering physical symptoms of anxiety.
Common Questions About Health Anxiety
Understanding health anxiety and its treatment options can empower you to seek the help you need.
What is health anxiety?
Health anxiety is a condition where individuals excessively worry about having a serious illness. It often involves constant checking for symptoms and seeking reassurance from doctors.
How is health anxiety treated?
Treatment typically involves cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps change negative thought patterns, and sometimes medication to manage symptoms.
Can therapy help with health anxiety?
Yes, therapy can provide strategies to manage anxiety, reduce stress, and improve overall mental health.
What are some self-help strategies for health anxiety?
Practicing mindfulness, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help manage symptoms of health anxiety.
How long does treatment for health anxiety take?
The duration of treatment varies, but many people see improvement within a few months of consistent therapy.
Is health anxiety common?
Yes, health anxiety is quite common and affects many people. Seeking help is a positive step towards managing it.
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | Feb 22, 2022 | anxiety, Blog, couples, couples counseling, group, love, marriage, pregnancy
Mood Swings During Pregnancy Are Common
One big reason for pregnancy mood swings is a women’s rapidly changing hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen, associated with serotonin, levels soar during the first trimester and can cause emotional distress. Most commonly resulting in increase in anxiety and irritability.
Second common reason for emotional dysregulation is the obvious physical discomforts such as morning sickness, fatigue and constipation, etc. We can all relate to our mood changing when we feel physically uncomfortable. Because these changes happen in the first trimester, women feel like there isn’t a relief in sight and know that symptoms will only get worse.
The third most common reason for change in mood is directly related to weight gain. Whether the weight gain is drastic or gradual, change in weight can be stressful for some. Feelings of insecurity during pregnancy and fears of loosing wight after pregnancy can trigger obsessive thoughts. Social media portraying high profile individuals dropping weight and being red carpet ready within weeks of delivery, doesn’t help.
Gender Disappointment
One of the most taboo subjects to talk about is the baby’s gender. Many people feel shame in revealing they actually have a preference. Just know that you are not alone, this is very common. Feelings of guilt about disappointment, regretting the pregnancy, and doubt over one’s ability to parent or love this child is common.
There are a few reasons why one might feel disappointment:
- Preference, dream of sharing an experience with a certain gender
- Culture
- Gender diversity of the family – family full of boys might want a girl etc.
- Intimidation at raising a child of opposite gender – fear of the unknown
- Fear of the child creating a stronger bond with the parent that is the same gender
Coping Strategies During Pregnancy
- This is your time to recommit to the relationship. Prioritize each other by focusing on your partners social, emotional, and physical needs.
- Allow for all feelings to be expressed. If new emotions, such as rage, occur being curious and comforting. Validate and support one another.
- Communication has never been as important as it is now. Validate by acknowledging your loved ones emotions, thoughts, experiences, values, and beliefs. You don’t have to agree, just express understanding and acceptance.
- Stop reading parenting and pregnancy books. Humans have been doing this for 300,000 years. You have instinct, trust it!
- Be patient, allow space for errors.
- The non-pregnant spouse can show true unwavering support by changing behaviors such as substance use, making better eating choices, prioritizing rest etc. It’s hard for the pregnant partner to have their life be completely changed and watch their mate continue to live as if nothing happened.
- Connect with other expecting couples.
- Engage in nesting type of conversations. Register for gifts, identify and design the nursery, find childcare and so on.
- Find a counselor who can the two of you navigate uncharted waters.
Final Words from Marina Edelman, LMFT
Pregnancy is difficult for both partners in different ways. What ever you are feeling I can guarantee someone else out there feels exactly the same. I recently hosted an in person pregnancy support group in my office. It was wonderful! The women were able to openly share all of the emotions they have been to embarrassed to express with their girlfriends for fear of judgment.
Marina Edelman | 818.851.1293 | marinaedelman.com | Westlake Village, CA
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | May 26, 2020 | anxiety, Blog, couples, mindfulness
Staying mindful and present while living in quarantine has proven extremely difficult for most of us. With so much uncertainty in the air and vague estimations of when life can begin to resemble normalcy, it’s hard to stop ourselves from overthinking and giving in to anxiety-inducing thoughts.
These thoughts can interfere with your ability to be present in your daily life and in your relationship. Chances are, both you and your partner are feeling at least some anxiety and stress right now, either because of the current state of the world or how the quarantine is affecting your relationship. Mindfulness exercises are a great way to help reduce anxiety and stress.
Incorporating mindfulness exercises into your life is just one way to forge a stronger relationship as a couple. This can help you better weather life’s stresses and anxieties so that when stressful situations like quarantine pass, you’ll be more connected than ever.
Benefits of mindfulness in relationships
If you’re feeling anxious or fighting with your partner, it can be helpful to take some time to yourself to try the mindfulness techniques below and come back to your problem later. This can give you a chance to calm down and gain more clarity on the situation or help you focus on what actions you want to take.
You and your partner can even do mindfulness exercises together to bring you both a sense of calm during an anxious time. If you choose to do them together, be sure to put down your phones and step away from any distractions.
Whether you do it on your own or together, practicing mindfulness in your relationship can help you and your partner:
- Improve your mood so you feel calmer and happier
- Become better listeners and less distracted when having a conversation
- Have stronger emotion regulation, which means less anger and sadness
- Become more in tune with your feelings and your partner’s feelings
- Have more productive conversations and better problem solving
- Forge a deeper connection that leads to more intimacy
I’ve found that certain mindfulness techniques help me stay more present and grounded than others. These techniques can help you and your partner reduce your levels of anxiety so you can feel more calm, centered, and connected.
Five senses technique
One easy and simple mindfulness exercise that I partake in daily is the five senses technique, which I usually do every time I take my dog out for a walk. This technique uses your five senses — sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste — to help ground you and bring you into the present moment.
I usually go up to some flowers to do this technique, but any scene or area out in nature will work perfectly. If you’re doing this inside, it can be done in any room and in any area of your house.
Sight
I’ll start by noticing five things that I see in front of me. This can be the flowers themselves, their leaves, any blades of grass, or insects around the flowers.
Touch
Then I’ll touch four different things. I might gently run my finger across a flower petal or dig my hands in the grass, or I may give my dog a pet.
Sound
I’ll pay attention to three things that I can hear: the wind blowing through the trees, the sound of a lawn mower, or maybe a dog barking in the distance.
Smell
Then I’ll notice two things that I can smell, which could be the flowers themselves or the clean air.
Taste
Finally, I’ll focus on one thing I can taste. If I have a water bottle with me, then I’ll take a sip of water and mindfully pay attention to the feeling and sensation of the water going down my throat.
Grounding technique
Another quick mindfulness exercise that can be done anywhere and at any time is a grounding technique. While sitting on a surface, I notice all of the different areas of my body that are touching that surface and focus all of my attention to those areas. These areas are usually my back, thighs, and feet.
After I divert my attention to these areas for a few minutes, I then dig the bottoms of my feet into the ground so that I can really feel the earth beneath me. This is a quick way to (literally) ground yourself and bring you back into the present moment, especially if you’re feeling caught up in your thoughts or feeling some acute anxiety.
By Rachel Chistyakov, AMFT. Rachel is an associate at TrueMe Counseling Center. You can read more about her here.
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | Mar 17, 2020 | anxiety, coronavirus
What I Am Telling My Clients Who Are Anxious About Coronavirus
The word ‘unprecedented’ has been used and maybe over used but the Coronavirus is undeniably affecting all of us in significant ways. Social distancing has drastically affected our daily lives. This pandemic has had a toll not only on our physical and social life but on our mental health as well. You are probably familiar with statistics such as number of people infected, recovery rate, or countries impacted. Here are some other statistics to consider: in one study of Wang et al, 2020 they found that in China, 53.8% of the respondents to a survey rated their psychological impact as moderate-to-severe and 28.8% had moderate to severe anxiety, 16.5% had moderate to severe depressive symptoms, 8.1% had moderate to severe stress levels.
Know that you are not alone, my associates and I are here to help you. We are meeting with clients using video portals and phones and are finding these tools to be very affective. Please feel free to reach out for help. In the meantime here are some ways you can stay healthy and happy.
Be creative in connecting with friends and family
Physical distancing doesn’t have to be synonymous with social distancing. On the contrary, we have amazing tools at our disposal to connect with people. Here are example of three ways to stay connected.
- Google just announced that they are giving away premium feature of Hangout Meet for free. This allows you to connect with up to 250 people. Zoom, FaceTime, Facebook etc. are all great ways to connect one on one or with a group.
- Netflix has a cool feature where you can still watch a movie together and have a group chat with the Chrome extension Netflix Party. It enables you to remotely watch, synchronize the movie and chat.
- Consider throwing a remote dinner party by planning a menu together and deciding on a time. Plant your laptop on the counter and start a video conference while prepping your meal. Bon Appetite!
Self-Care to manage anxiety and depression
If you have been procrastinating focusing on your health and wellness than this is your moment. Mental health, immune system and physical health will benefit with increased attention to self care. This is a great opportunity to create healthy habits.
- Group fitness classes are great not just for the workout but because they give us a sense of community. Your gym or studio maybe closed but you can replace that with some wonderful free at home options and digital classes streaming right into your home. Staying active can help alleviate stress as well as distract you in a positive way. Here are some options:
305 Fitness: Stream full classes for free on its YouTube channel at 12 p.m. ET.
AKT: Stream free classes on Facebook Live, check its social for updated schedules.
Modo Yoga: Stream free daily yoga classes on Instagram Live.
- Meditation is something all of us want to do but can’t seem to find the time to do it. Well now there are no excuses. There are tons of guided meditation videos and apps out there. Find a quiet place to sit for even 10 minutes and just focus on your breath. Be kind with invasive thoughts. Watch them float away as you refocus on your breath.
- Eat healthy at home. Restaurants and coffee shops might be closed but a healthy meal is at your fingertips. Recent research has proven that we can help manage our mood with a healthy diet. Foods such as salmon, yogurt and dark chocolate have brain boosting properties that alleviate some symptoms. Replacing coffee with green tea or chamomile tea is also a good way to add calmness to your morning.
Maintain a similar routine or establish a new one if one didn’t exist
Being flexible and accepting change is crucial during this unprecedented time. Try to stick to your normal routine as much as possible. If you have to make adjustments because of social distancing at least keep doing it in the same order or time. For example even though you don’t have a commute, still wake up at the same time and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. If you are used to meeting up with friends after work, consider calling them while taking a walk outside.
If a routine was never your thing, consider creating a loose one such as consistent sleep schedule, work out, prepare a meal, virtually visit with a friend….
Reduce social media consumption of coronavirus
This is a big one! Reading about what is happening around the world is healthy to a point. There is a fine line with obsessing over pandemic as opposed to staying informed. Social media also allows us a peek into other people’s lives and we can’t help but to compare them to us. Recently parents have been posting schedules for homeschooling their children. The images are so cute and organized and colorful. But what if you are struggling with figuring it all out or are just not that excited about homeschooling, this can leave you feeling disappointed and a bit sad. Be cautious with how much time you spend on media in general. Subscribe to happy or good news channels as well.
Focus on what you can do vs what you cannot
You will now probably have more time on your hands and common sources of entertainment will not be available. There are so many options still at your disposal, just think outside the box. All of us have some home projects that we say we will get too but can’t find the time to actually complete. Or was your New Year resolution to write a book, read more, or spend time outdoors. Spending time outside is a great way to elevate your mood, feel a sense of freedom, and get some steps in.
Show up as your best self by channeling
- Patience
- Gratitude
- Compliments
- Understanding
- Humor
- Empathy
We are all in this together, maintaining an optimistic outlook and focusing on what is possible will help you to be resilient and creative. Feel free to reach out by visiting marinaedelman.com or calling 818.851.1293.
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | Apr 28, 2019 | anxiety, Blog, friends
“Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business.” – Rachel Hollis.
Perspective is an interesting concept – it is a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view. Everyone’s perspective is different. Everyone has shaped their own view of reality, and they perceive the ways that people treat them as good or bad. Even if the intention of the other person is not always to be good or bad. What if we suddenly changed our perspective of the way people treated us and just assumed that we were universally liked by everyone we meet? What would this do to our confidence, self-esteem, and general outlook on life? Would this perspective make us more social, more brave? More likely to do things that we normally wouldn’t? Would we be more willing to participate in more social occasions, therefore bringing more joy to our lives?
Confidence can do wonders for you! To build confidence, you need to change….your PERSPECTIVE. You need to assume that if someone is grumpy, or giving an attitude, that it has NOTHING to do with you and everything to do with their own situation. The saying “Assume they like you, and they will” is true! If you go in to a group setting, with an air of confidence, and the attitude that you are well-liked, then you will be!
Being afraid of rejection before being rejected is like poison to your confidence and slowly kills your chances of showing your true self. How can you show your wonderful personality through all that unwanted anxiety? How will people see how tremendous you are through all that fear? When you appear sheepish, scared, and afraid, you also start to obsess over what you say, and how you say it. This is not at all fun for you or for the group of friends you are trying to have a good time with.
Humans in nature are social creatures, and we have a need to belong somewhere. We need friends, loved ones, and people that are important to us, who we are also important to. There is an ongoing confusion between people needing to belong, and the NEED to belong consuming you. Sure, don’t obsess over people liking you. But know that you do need people in your life that are important to you. It doesn’t have to be a large group of people, but the value of people is great in your life.
If you come across as fearful of people rejecting you, then you are kind of coming across as fearful of people, in general. Remember that you are liked – from the very first meeting! Remember that your first impression will be enough, your first impression is luminous, your first impression is sensational!
If you feel you need help with your first impressions – here are five tips to making a good first impression. Just to boost that confidence level.
- Assume they already like you and they probably will.
- Treat them! Meet over food or coffee, if possible.
- Always shake their hand. Firm grip!
- Be Positive About Yourself!
- Show interest and ask questions about them.
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | Sep 24, 2018 | anxiety
Who doesn’t like the smell and taste of coffee in the morning. Researchers suggest that drinking two or more cups of coffee every day can reduce the risk of some cancer, liver disease, and possibly Parkinson’s disease. However, if you have anxiety please consider an alternative beverage. Caffeine is a stimulant and can cause jitters. For people who are predisposed to anxiety, caffeine can trigger uncomfortable sensations such as sweaty palms, racing heart, and ringing in the ears. These feelings can trick your brain into feeling stress or anxiety. If this happens remind your self you are having a normal response to a stimulant and that it will pass shortly. Drink lots of water and try diaphram breathing.
#anxiety #stress #coffee #stimulant #caffeine #psychonutrition
by Marina Edelman, LMFT | Jan 29, 2018 | anxiety, Blog, group
The Untethered Soul book Therapy Groups
Feb. 1 – April 12, 6-sessions every other Thursday morning from 10:00am-11:30am or
Feb. 5 – April 16, 6-sessions every other Monday evening from 6:00pm-7:30pm
The purpose of this group is to expand awareness and facilitate further personal growth through mindfulness and consciousness in a safe and therapeutic environment.
The fee for this 6-session group is $120.00 to be collected prior to the first meeting. The book to be used is The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer and will be provided during the first session to each member.
Best,
Tanya Samuelian, Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #93868, supervised by Marina Edelman, LMFT #51009
